title Retro
summary Sometimes we pretend to forget or we forget to pretend.
There was dried blood under her fingernails. Sakura picked at it a few times. But she couldn't quite reach. When she huffed, something tapped her shoulder.
"Here, Boss," Sai said, handing over his knife. She nodded at him. She began using the blade to pick her nails clean. Rocking back on her heels, she dug into a particularly stubborn clump.
A whimper rose in front of her. Sakura glanced up. She watched the man attempt to wiggle away from her. Blood smeared across his mouth, gushing out from the gaps in his teeth. He slipped against the clear plastic draped across the floor and the walls.
"You know, it's bad manners not to clean up after yourself. What're going to do with this, Sai?" questioned Sakura, resuming cleaning her nails. As she spoke, she heard metal chair legs scrape against the concrete. Tenten's heels clicked over to them.
"You said that this one was selling underage girls?" asked Tenten.
"Yeah," Sai confirmed.
"I'll take care of it," Tenten said, cracking her knuckles.
From the corner, Chojuro didn't speak. He kept his arms crossed tightly over his chest. His head jerked up when Sakura held her hand out to him. He crossed the room, avoiding the biggest puddles of blood and broken teeth. Looking unsure, he grasped Sakura's hand and hauled her up to her feet.
"Deui m'jyu, Aunt Cheng. I was assured that this man was Ghost. I should have checked again," he apologized, bowing until his torso was parallel to the floor.
Sakura grasped his face, squeezing his cheeks together in her hand. Staring into his eyes, she didn't smile.
"Find him, Charlie Lau," she simply ordered. Pushing him aside, she strode out of the room. Sai spared him a nod before he hurried out after her. They had almost made it out of the warehouse, out onto the dock before the screams started again. The guards slammed the steel doors shut behind them. That muffled most of the sound.
"Diu," grumbled Sakura, hands on her hips. She kicked at a pebble, sending it flying into the water.
"We'll find him, boss. Charlie Lau can find anyone. He just needs more time," Sai assured her.
"I tell him to find me Ghost and he brings me some fucking used car salesman? Yau mo gaau lan choh?" she swore. Sai held both his hands up, nervous grin in place.
"Now, now. We know that he was paid by someone to spread rumors that he was Ghost. That's a lead, isn't it?" he suggested.
Sakura heaved a sigh. She made a grabbing motion. Sai dug in his pockets for a smoke. He pulled one out of the slightly-crushed box and placed it in her hand. Cupping his hand around his lighter, he leaned in to light it for her. Sakura took several deep drags on her cigarette before she spoke again.
"He has to be in Kobe. Why else plant a decoy in some random ward?" Sakura conjectured. Sai nodded, hands slipping into the pockets of his crisp black suit.
"I'll watch over this. You should get some rest," Sai suggested, jerking his shoulder towards the warehouse. Sakura blew out a long, thin stream of smoke. She put her hands in her pockets too. Her shoulders hunched forward.
"I think I'll take a look around Nankinmachi. See if I can get in touch with anyone useful," Sakura said.
"Ah. That's right. I forgot that there's a Chinatown in this city too," mused Sai.
The Chinatown in Kobe wasn't nearly as big as the one in Yokohama. And it was significantly sleeker. The streets weren't twisting and winding with dark alleys for strange things to take place. It was clean, cluttered with stands selling steamed buns and roast duck. Red lanterns were strung between the shops. And she heard more Japanese than Mandarin or Cantonese being spoken as people passed.
Sakura paused at a bakery, eyeing the little cakes in the refrigerated case. And then she walked past, her lips twisting together.
The fragrance of spice and fried dough clogged her nostrils. Sakura closed her eyes for an instant. Wondered how just a smell could take her back to childhood so easily. Sticky hands splitting a pork bun. Steam wetting her nose as she leaned in to gobble it down.
But these clean streets held nothing for her. At the end of the row, she did a half-turn on her heel. She looked back at the glowing signs. Disappointed, somehow, even though she had promised to expect nothing.
As she passed by a noodle shop, someone standing outside offered her a flyer.
"Spring special! Only today!" he chirruped. Sakura pushed the leaflet aside.
"No thanks," she replied. But he pushed the flyer in her face.
"Half-off!" he insisted. Heaving a sigh, she grabbed the flyer, crumpling it in her fist.
"I said no," snapped Sakura, glaring. She froze when she recognized the face in front of her. He grinned.
"Ah. Not as sharp as we were in our youth, are we?" he teased, yanking the flyer back. She bared her teeth in a smile.
"How did you know I would be here?" she demanded. His long fingers grasped her forearm like spindly spider's legs.
"I have my ways, Jing-Mei," he simply replied. Her eyes narrowed.
"What do you want?" Sakura questioned. He shrugged, hands encased in black gloves.
"What do we all want? Love, fame, fortune," he sighed, hand on his cheek. The other tightened on her arm.
"I'll cut that fucking hand off if you don't tell me," Sakura threatened, teeth clenching in a smile. His grip loosened.
"Oh, well I just heard that you were looking for me. This is the thanks I get for trying help you out?" he sighed.
"Bullshit," she challenged. The man didn't bat an eyelash.
"Couldn't go around just using my real name. It would attract too much attention," he explained. She arched an eyebrow.
"I found you," she pointed out, voice flat. Wrenching out of his grip, she dusted off her arm, like his touch had dirtied her. His mouth only stretched into a grin.
"My, my, Miss Haruno, you should know by now. You're all the attention I'll ever want or need," he simpered. She grimaced.
"Get to the point," she snarled.
"I'll come to you. Since you came all the way to Kobe to see me," he said.
Sakura scoffed, tongue clicking against the back of her teeth.
"Fine," Sakura retorted. And then she turned on her heel, striding away from him as quickly as possible. Her eyes darted around as she walked. She scanned the crowd for lingering stares or sudden movements. Satisfied that she wasn't being followed, she looked down at her arm.
Sakura felt under her sleeve and around the edges of the cuff. She found a small disc stuck to the lining of her jacket. Ripping it out, she dropped it on the concrete. She crushed it under her foot. As she ground her heel against the pavement, she looked over her shoulder. Found Ghost still watching her, smile squeezing his eyes into slivers. Found something in that stare that made her skin crawl.
So she shed her entire coat and dumped it into a trash can as she strode past. Sakura raised her phone to her ear. Waited through two rings.
"Boss?" Tenten said.
Sakura could hear plastic rustling in the background. They were probably still stripping the sheeting off the walls and cleaning up.
"We're heading back to Ginza. Now," Sakura ordered.
"What?"
"I'll explain later. Get the car ready," she snapped. Tenten let out a long sigh but then replied, "Got it, Boss." Just before she hung up, Sakura heard Tenten barking at the underlings to hurry up.
Tommy Wong was nervous. Which was a rare occurrence in itself. He tapped his business card against the desk, eyes darting around. Grinding a toothpick between his front molars, he twisted to look out the window again.
When the door opened, he got off the desk. Straightened his tie out of habit.
Uchiha Itachi stared at him, hand still in his pocket. Kisame froze too, still holding the door open.
"Deidara-san," Itachi greeted him after a beat. He extended his hand and Tommy shook it.
Sasori appraised the triad. His gaze flickered from the blond to the window. Back to the boss.
"How can I help you?" asked Itachi. Tommy handed over the card. Itachi examined the front. It was the same card one he had received when they had first met. But when he flipped it over, he saw writing on the back in bright red ink.
Lotus & Bloom
HK 3/26
19:00
Itachi looked up. Tommy was still fidgeting, his hands now crammed into both his pockets.
"Lotus & Bloom?" Itachi repeated, glancing down at the card again.
"It's the boss' favorite bar in Hong Kong," replied Tommy. He mashed his lips together, examining his knuckles. And when he lifted his head, he looked Itachi square in the eyes.
"I'm not really sure what's going on here, daai lou, but the Boss seemed pissed," he admitted.
Kisame scoffed. "She's always pissed at something or someone, kid."
Itachi shook his head. He held up the card.
"She could have called me," Itachi mused. At that, Tommy cracked a small smile. He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Just a word of advice for you if you do go, daai lou," Tommy said. All three men looked at him again.
"Don't get noticed in Hong Kong. You yakuza are no joke. But it's a whole different show with the real triads," warned Tommy. Kisame cracked his fingers, brass knuckles glinting. Itachi shook his head and Kisame stood down, still glowering.
"Are you saying that Jing-Mei isn't a real triad?" Itachi asked.
"She is. But she plays a lot nicer...especially with you. The other guys..." Tommy trailed off, cringing. He shook his head.
"I'd be going as a guest of a Red Pole. Wouldn't that give me some sort of protection?" Itachi queried. Tommy tilted his head this way and that, making a face.
"Sort of. But still, don't risk it. And get a hotel in Central. Stay out of the other areas," Tommy added. Dipping his head, he made his way out of the office. Kisame moved to the window to watch him leave. He crossed the street and got into a black car that had been waiting for him. Kisame glared at it while it drove off.
"The 26th? That's only a few days away, Kumicho," Sasori pointed out, glancing down at his phone. He swiped his finger across the calendar, looking ahead. "You don't look especially busy next week, but who knows."
"That doesn't matter. Book me the next flight out to Hong Kong. I want to go alone," declared Itachi. And before either of his subordinates could object, Itachi pinned them with a glare. Sasori opened his mouth, shut it, and began looking up tickets on his phone.
"I need you two here to look after things for me," Itachi added more quietly. Sasori quirked a smile.
"Just for that, I'll get you the hotel room with the better view," he announced, typing in credit card information.
March in Hong Kong was dreary and humid. A light rain seemed to fall over the island continuously. And if it wasn't raining, there was fog. A soft mist that engulfed the entire city. Just the muted lights from the high-rises shone out in the evening.
Sakura leaned back in her chair, spinning to face the window. At the haze that covered the harbor.
"Is that all, Jing-Mei?"
"No, one last thing, Uncle," Sakura replied. She glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall.
"Yes?"
Sakura hesitated, eyeing one particular date. Closing her eyes, she pretended it wasn't there anymore. She let out a sigh.
"Actually, it's fine. Have a good night, Uncle," she said. They ended the call and Sakura let her head slump back. She closed her eyes, letting out another deep breath. She opened them again when she heard rain begin to patter against the window. Stubbing her cigarette out in the ash tray, she opened her eyes to glare up at the ceiling.
Her phone buzzed. Alerting her of an appointment at Lotus & Bloom in half an hour. Breath hissing out between her teeth, Sakura stood. She stared out at the buzzing city below. At the cars zipping down the freeway and the thousands of businesses blinking their signs.
"Tenten," Sakura said.
"Yeah," the other woman replied from the sofa in the corner.
"We might have to clean up a body tonight. Have the boys stand by," Sakura ordered as she pulled on her blazer. Tenten nodded, flipping to the next page in her book.
"Right, Boss," she replied, completely unfazed.
Zabuza picked her up outside and dropped her off at a towering building. The bottom few floors sported huge windows that glowed cyan. The doorman bowed low for her as she walked past. The downstairs lobby was dazzling as always with its marble floors and high ceilings. The crystal chandelier in front of the elevator filled the space with a warm yellow light.
The ride up to the 7th floor was short. But when the doors slid open, the hostess was already waiting, panic brightening her eyes.
"Good evening, Ma'am. Is your usual table alright?" she asked, hands shaking as she gripped the menu to her chest. Sakura barely looked at her as she nodded. Instead, she glanced around the restaurant. It was busy, even on a Monday night. The bartender met her eyes and nodded in the middle of rattling a cocktail shaker around in his hands.
The hostess led her upstairs. There was a separate bar and lounge up here, along with a few tables. But these spaces were spread apart for privacy. She led Sakura to the table in the corner with a view over the rest of the restaurant.
"Can I get you a Pinot Noir?" the hostess asked as she took Sakura's damp coat. She draped it over her arm, careful not to wrinkle it. Sakura shook her hair out of her collar after she settled in the booth. She nodded. And the girl dipped her head before she scurried off.
Lotus & Bloom hadn't been a cheap buy. She had admired the place ever since Hashirama had taken her here many years ago. It was an industrial-style restaurant with black window frames and exposed brick walls. The bar counters were made of shining black stone while the sides were covered in dark wood. Candles flickered on each table and each windowsill. The entire place was filled with a soft golden glow and the smells of steak.
The restaurant raked in an impressive amount of money each month. But more than that, she liked coming here to have a drink every once in a while. It helped that the entire staff was petrified of her and gave the finest service when she was there.
Sakura's gaze swept over the other tables on the second floor. One of the other tables was occupied. The restaurant pretended that the second floor was reserved for VIPs only. But Sakura knew it was to keep the triads separated from the regular civilians. The top floor was empty today- just the way she liked it.
Just as her Pinot Noir arrived, Sakura heard the elevator doors open. She could see Itachi walk into the restaurant. She almost smiled when she saw the bouquet in his left hand. He glanced down at something before he spoke to the hostess in English.
The girl listened, smile fading more and more. And then she looked up at the second floor, met Sakura's gaze. Sakura nodded. The girl motioned for Itachi to follow her as she came upstairs. Her heels clicking against the gleaming wood. She gestured at the table with both hands, eyes darting from him to Sakura over and over again.
Itachi was dressed in a slim black suit. His maroon tie had a faint gold pattern on it. He offered her the bouquet. Lavender roses- somewhere between grey and purple. She took them, fingers skimming across the soft petals. She didn't smile, but he did as he settled in the chair across from her. Sakura didn't tear her eyes from him as she spoke to the hostess.
"Another Pinot Noir for my guest."
The girl nodded several times, hurrying off again. Sakura set the flowers on the seat beside her, the plastic crinkling.
Itachi held out his hand to her. Eyes gleaming softly. Sakura hesitated, trying to read the intention in his eyes. But when she could nothing, she relinquished her hand. Said nothing when he grasped it to bring it to his lips.
"It's been a while. You haven't answered my calls. I was beginning to worry," Itachi greeted her. Sakura pulled her hand back.
"This isn't a pleasant occasion, Itachi," she retorted. His smile dissolved. Eyebrows knitting together as he studied her.
"What is it then?" Itachi questioned in return. Sakura crossed her arms across her chest, looking away. She waited for a waiter to come with his wine. The young man didn't bother to take her order. He knew better than to bother her. Only after the waiter was gone did Sakura look at Itachi again.
"Your uncle is alive," she informed him.
"Yes. I'm aware of that," replied Itachi.
"Well, when he went silent all those years ago, most of us assumed your father had just had him killed," Sakura spelled out for him. Itachi shook his head.
"He was still my father's younger brother. But all of his activities were causing problems for the rest of us," Itachi recalled. Sakura's expression soured.
"Yes. Activities. Like how he stabbed me in the back with a filet knife," Sakura retorted, teeth clenching. Itachi reached across the table. She moved her hand away, still glowering.
"Like stabbing you," Itachi amended. "I'm sorry. I did forget about that."
"And his fondness for explosions was drawing the wrong sort of attention from the authorities. So my father allowed him to take his men and some money to settle down in Osaka. They're the Kobe-Uchiha-gumi now," explained Itachi.
"Yes. The Kobe-Uchiha-gumi led by Uchiha Madara. A.k.a. Ghost," Sakura added, tone snippy. She watched the realization filter through his face. Saw the gears turning.
"Ghost?" repeated Itachi. But she knew he didn't need her to repeat it.
"Someone smart enough to steal plates from the triads. To hire Suns to pose as 24k. But also stupid enough to shoot at my club," Sakura listed, her voice suddenly sharp. She drank her wine in one long gulp. Slammed the glass down onto the table. The bartender flinched and tried to play it off as a cough.
Itachi stared at her, fingers wrapping around the stem of his own glass.
"...And you mean to tell me that you had no idea this was going on?" she went on to accuse. Itachi's eyes narrowed.
"On my life. I swear," he replied, voice low.
"Liar," she snorted in return.
Itachi took a sip of his wine. Placed the glass back down in slow, measure movements.
"How did you find this out?" asked Itachi.
"He found me in the Chinatown in Kobe. Promised me that he would find me in Ginza. So of course, I got the hell out," Sakura retorted. Her back twinged with pain at the mere memory of him. The Triads loved to pride themselves on being more volatile than the yakuza. And while she usually agreed, Madara was in a whole different category of psycho. Her back ached with old pain at the mere memory of his leer.
"My uncle and I don't speak. He still thinks that he should have taken over the Uchiha-gumi, not me. My father letting him split off was to prevent an outright war," Itachi replied, frowning. He took another drink of his wine.
"If you're really not involved with any of this, I'd stay out of Tokyo for a while too," Sakura warned. Itachi's eyes narrowed over the rim of his glass.
"What do you think he wants?" Itachi inquired.
"He's a man, so I want to say sex and power. But I'm not so certain with him," Sakura replied, shrugging. She rested her cheek in her left hand. Something about her expression made Itachi pause. Because she could see him open his mouth with one intention. Close it. Open his mouth with a new one.
"Is that want you really think?" he queried, voice suddenly soft.
"It's what I know," Sakura corrected him. A smile slipped through. She didn't have the energy to quash it.
"Even you, Uchiha Itachi," Sakura added.
He met her eyes, saying nothing else. When his hand moved toward her, she didn't pull away. Let him cover her fingers with his. He let out a deep breath, such an affected sigh. It hardly seemed right in this situation.
"Shall we go then?" he suggested. Half-smile curling his lips.
"Go where?" Sakura challenged, voice flat. Itachi's fingers curled around hers. She didn't move.
"To my hotel," answered Itachi.
"For?"
"Dinner. Since you don't seem keen on eating here. And I'm rather hungry," he replied. She rolled her eyes.
"Dinner," she scoffed.
"Just dinner. I swear," Itachi repeated, his face solemn.
He found them a taxi back to his hotel. He was staying at one of the most expensive places in Central. The slate-colored tower was infamous for its white and gold lobby. It was so esoteric that it wasn't uncommon for movie crews to come in to film futuristic scenes in the atrium.
Itachi's room was up on the 12th floor. It had a sweeping view of Victoria Harbor, which was currently obscured, still, by fog. And to top it off, it had started raining on the ride over. Sakura sat on the windowsill, tracing the shape of the city with her eyes.
"I have no idea what gravlax is," Itachi said. Sakura turned her head to him. Found him standing by the phone with a menu in his hands.
"It's cured salmon," she replied, a smile curling at her lips. She watched him read through the dishes. His expression was quite serious. And she could see his eyebrows rise and fall depending on whether he found something appealing or not. It took him a minute to notice her staring. He stepped over to the window to show her the menu.
"What sounds good to you? The oysters sound nice," Itachi remarked. She could smell his cologne. Noticed that his suit wasn't actually a solid color but actually a very faint pinstripe.
"Anything is fine. I don't have any allergies," she said. But he held the menu closer to her.
"Choose something. There's a difference between not-hating something and enjoying it, you know," Itachi insisted. Sighing, Sakura skimmed over the menu. Found that the dishes actually sounded quite nice. She pointed.
"The risotto. And the halibut," she read parts of the titles. Itachi's eyebrows rose the highest that she had seen them yet.
"Miso butter and halibut does sound amazing," he mused. Something about his enthusiasm felt out of place. She wasn't used to his face being quite so animated. He read for another minute before he headed back over to the phone on the nightstand. He dialed the number for room service. Then paused.
"I know that you're partial to reds, but would white be alright? We are having seafood," Itachi asked.
"Sure," Sakura replied, barely hiding her smile.
She listened to Itachi order dinner, the patter of rain a gentle accompaniment to his voice. His reflection appeared in the window. She saw him unbutton his jacket and drape it over the back of an armchair.
"Sakura."
Felt his hand on her shoulder. And scolded herself for having half-believed him for even a second.
"You said 'just dinner'," she said, turning toward him. Itachi raised both his hands up.
"I did. I just wanted to take your coat. No sense in eating dinner in it, right?" Itachi said. The surprise in his eyes was genuine. And that surprised her back.
Sakura shrugged out of the beige jacket. Her eyes followed him as he went around the corner to hang it up in the closet. And when he returned, he found her looking out the window again.
"If I didn't know you any better, I'd guess that you've never seen rain before," remarked Itachi. He joined her on the windowsill. Leaving a little bit of space between them.
Sakura pressed her palm to the cool glass.
"I love this city. It's so pretty. Even in the rain," replied Sakura. She heard him let out a long breath. Heard him shift.
"It is," he agreed. When she looked over, he was pulling out his golden cufflinks, folding his sleeves up to his elbows.
"What are you doing?" Sakura finally asked as she watched him loosen his tie and unbutton the top button of his shirt. Itachi glanced over at her.
"What do you mean? I'm relaxing. It's just the two of us," replied Itachi. He looked over his shoulder, out at the view of the city again.
"I can't believe it's so warm here. I was still wearing my winter coat in Tokyo," remarked Itachi. Even his voice sounded different. Flowing more easily, like warm water. Sakura crossed her arms across her chest. His gaze flickered to her.
"Have I said this yet? You look really nice," he remarked. Her arms tightened.
She was wearing a lacy black dress under a teal blazer. Her sleeves only reached down to her forearm. The tail of the red phoenix tattoo peeked out. There was nothing lecherous about Itachi's gaze, but it still felt strange. He wasn't in her personal space, but he still felt too close.
"Thank you," she replied, feeling small next to him. As she shifted, she felt a pack of cigarettes in her jacket pocket. She stood up.
"I need a smoke. I'll be back," she announced. Didn't want for his reply as she grabbed an ashtray off the dresser and slipped onto the balcony. She closed the door behind her. Almost didn't mind the way that the muggy air engulfed her. Her face felt wet, even though the balcony was well-sheltered against the rain.
Cupping her hand around the lighter, she lit the cigarette. Listened to the sizzle mix with the rain falling harder now. Sakura stuck her hands into the pockets of her jackets, leaning against the edge of the balcony. She sucked down several breaths, biting the tip of her cigarette between her front teeth.
Sakura burned through that one. The nicotine eased her nerves a little. And then she lit up a second one. And it filled her head, made her a little dizzy. She was halfway through that one when she heard the door slide open behind her.
"You've been out here a while. Are you alright?" he said, sounding a little apologetic.
"I'm fine," she replied.
There was a pause.
"...Can I join you?" Itachi then asked.
Sakura didn't say anything, but she moved over to make space for him. Itachi stepped outside. He settled in beside her. Stared out at the grey-covered city with her.
Sakura let out a shaky breath. She tapped her cigarette against the ashtray, avoiding his eyes. She could feel his gaze on her now. Listened to the rain pouring down from the heavens. Like a thousand marbles clattering down on the roofs. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Itachi pull out his cigarette case. Opened it with a flick of his wrist.
"I'm making you uncomfortable," he said. Heard his lighter flick several times. She turned her head toward him. Saw him glare down at his lighter. He looked up. Their eyes met.
"It wasn't my intention to. So I'll stop," added Itachi.
Sakura leaned in, pressing the tip of her cigarette to his. Studied him through her eyelashes. Watched him swallow. When smoke rose up between them, she drew back.
"You're being awfully unguarded around me tonight, Kumicho. What are you even trying to do?" Sakura asked, her voice silken and low. Eyes narrowing in on him. Itachi mashed his lips together. He pulled the cigarette out of his mouth. Smoke leaked out with his next words.
"Honestly? I was hoping that if I relaxed a little, you would too," he confessed.
"And you weren't lying about just dinner?" Sakura pressed. Eyes boring into him like twin lasers.
"I wasn't lying," replied Itachi.
Sakura mashed her cigarette out in the ashtray. Left the sizzling butt standing upright. A ring of her lipstick marking the edge.
"Then you don't have to stop," she told him, slipping back inside. Itachi choked on his next breath. He put out his cigarette too, coughing as he followed her back inside.
