Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. It is a work by Masashi Kishimoto-sama. I do not earn money making this fanfic so don't steal it and don't use it as if you own it! However, there are OC's present in this fic and I own them.
I love you.
It was common knowledge in the powerful world of corporate and business to avoid angering one group if they plan to stay alive (literally and metaphorically) in the years to come. That group was Akatsuki, a powerful Japanese mafia that held connections worldwide including underground ones. No one was considered lucky if Akatsuki found interest in their business but neither are they considered lucky if the same group would want to destroy it for petty and selfish reasons.
Akatsuki was formed in Japan by a man whose identity is little to be known. It originally contained 10 members and stood out because of their suits covered in a red cloud design. Not long ago, one of the members broke his ties with the group after killing his co-member. For some miracle, this man managed to escape the clutches of Akatsuki and lived momentarily in peace and hiding. However, he knew that this façade won't last long especially since the company that started from scratch managed to become one of the most powerful in less than three years.
"So, what do you plan to do, Orochi?" Jiraiya asked the man that stood in front of him. They were both discussing the details of Akatsuki's what-might-to-be plan in the rooftop of Otto Insurance Paris Branch. "Akatsuki already had their suspicions and even though you changed your name, Sasuke didn't change his."
The pale man called Orochimaru remained silent. His gaze was locked at the bird's eye view of the world's most beautiful city.
"Where is Sasuke, anyway?"
"Back in Japan to finalize his divorce with Pinky."
"You mean, Sakura."
"I mean, trouble."
Jiraiya sighed. "She's really a nice girl if you give it a shot."
"She's Tsunade's student so there's no need for further examination." Orochimaru moved away from the edge and walked towards the door leading the stairs. "There's also no need to discuss these matters any further."
"I've already told Tsunade about this."
The pale man visibly flinched and paused his grip on the door knob. "And what made you think I need her help or yours for that matter?"
"Because your business is not the only one at stake here," the older man warned, "so we're going to deal with this together because dealing it on our own would make matters worse since Sasuke and Sakura are at the eye of this storm."
"Do whatever you like." And at that, Orochimaru left the other man.
Kaoru bumped into Taro when he was about to call a taxi to bring him to the airport.
"What?!" Taro screeched inside the taxi cab, "you're going to Japan?!"
"Don't scream it," Kaoru rubbed his ears, "and yes, I am. Hikaru and I will meet there to stop the divorce."
"How are you going to do that? It's not like they already knew who you are."
"We'll find that out when I get there." Kaoru gritted his teeth at the words in impatience. He's already nervous about the big ordeal and Taro's skepticism isn't helping him calm a little.
"All right, all right. I'm sorry." Taro seemed to understand that his best friend's twin was also nervous. "But like, only you? Isn't there a consent or something for kids below eighteen to ride an airplane by themselves?"
"I'll find a way when we get there."
Kyoto, Japan. The ancient capital located in west-central Honshu, Japan's largest island. This city was once the capital of Japan before the Tokogawa era ended. Currently, it's well known for preserving Japan's history but for two star-crossed lovers, it was also a city of their history.
"I miss this place so much!" Ino exclaimed. They were all at Ino's old home found in a quiet part of the prefecture, near a Buddhist Temple. "It's good to be at home."
"I agree." Sakura exchanged a bright smile with her best friend and fiancé, "Ino, thanks for letting us stay in your home."
"I didn't think you'd still be keeping this place, Beautiful," Sai looked around the place. It wasn't a really big house because Ino just bought it a few months after she became independent but it had enough room to roam around. They were sitting in the living room and drinking herbal tea.
"Keep that up and your lady's going to be jealous." Ino chuckled with a suspicious smile.
Sakura only smiled to herself since she knew that Sai's praises were actually sarcastic insults, although not obvious to other people. She knew this because she had known the guy ever since his antisocial days which were a few years after Sasuke left her. At that thought, the pink-haired beauty felt sullen and nervous. She was going to meet her husband soon and finalize their divorce even though they never saw each other after that rainy day.
"Neh, neh, Sakura, why don't we go for a walk around town?" Ino suggested, sensing her best friend's anxiousness, "That bastard won't be here until two hours."
"No," Sakura answered quietly, "I'll wait here."
Sai began to look worried but Sakura only smiled to reassure him that she wants this. But does she really?
Then, there was a loud rhythmic knock on the door.
"Who could that be?" The three looked at each other before Ino decided to open the door. It couldn't possibly be Sasuke since-
"Sakura-chan!" Naruto bursted through the door, shoving Ino aside and ran up to Sakura for a big hug which, unfortunately for Sakura, wasn't avoided. Somehow, the blonde also managed to roughly shoved Sai aside. 'Same old Naruto.' Sakura thought and almost smiled at it.
"Sai." No matter how long it had been that voice also didn't change. It's intonation and accent (a pretty big surprise considering that the owner traveled around the world) was still the same so Sakura was sure the owner didn't change too.
"Sasuke." Sai returned the acknowledgement but with a more polite tone in it. "You're early."
"Blame Naruto." Sasuke rubbed his temples to scare away the incoming migraine. He couldn't believe Naruto tricked him by saying they were going to visit an old friend. He didn't know the old friend was Ino or Sakura for that matter. He wasn't ready to face her yet.
Little did Sasuke know, Sakura wasn't ready to face her legally bound husband too despite the fact that she was the one who arranged this.
"Well, we still have two hours before the lawyers get here…" Ino let Sasuke in and tried to break the forming tension. Damn Naruto and his selfishness. "Why don't we get acquainted?"
"That's a good idea, Ino!" Naruto found himself a seat across Sakura.
"Still hyperactive as ever, dickhead." Sai sighed, feeling nostalgic.
"Still vulgar as ever, sexual offender." Naruto growled.
"If you are still referring to that time you thought I made a move on you-"
"Well, you did!" Naruto had his arms flailing over his head, "what straight person would sling their arm over a guy in the dark where no one was looking?"
"At least don't pretend you didn't like it."
"I DID NOT LIKE IT!" He was about to grapple Sai but Sakura got between them.
"Now, now, guys, play nice."
"But Sakura-chan!"
"Naruto, stop acting childish." Sasuke took a seat beside Naruto and for the first time he was really grateful to be sitting across Sai rather than Sakura, his soon-to-be-ex wife.
"Well, then." Ino sat on the head of the small dark wood table. "How's the missus, Naruto?"
"Hinata? She's fine." The male blonde relaxed in his chair, still oblivious of the tension between Sasuke and Sakura, "she's back in France with the kid."
"France? The last time I heard you lived in London."
"Yeah, that was before Sasuke and I got shifted into a new branch. You know, we were always traveling because of our job."
"About that, how'd you break free from Jiraiya and Orochimaru?"
"Ino, you make it sound like Master Jiraiya is a bad guy…"
"Well, I'm pretty sure Orochimaru was."
Sasuke sighed but couldn't disagree since Ino was right. Orochimaru was a bad person basing from his past and the way he mercilessly trained the Uchiha to be the best in the corporate world. However, he was a pretty sentimental guy if one would get to know him but he couldn't just say that since that pedophile was the reason Sasuke left Sakura. 'In order to defeat my brother, I needed his help.'
"…so after a few ups and downs, Sasuke and I managed to run a business on our own and before you know it, viola." Sasuke didn't realize when Naruto continued his story.
"So that man did you good after all, huh, Sasuke?" Ino remarked but there was a hint of sarcasm in it.
The Uchiha just sneered at her.
Sakura spared a glance or two at Sasuke. She wasn't really paying any attention to Naruto's story since he wanted Sasuke to tell those things to her personally. She had loved this man so much yet he hurt her so much too. It seemed like the only happiness Sasuke gave her was her children. Too bad she could only get half of it because her husband had custody of the other child. How was Hikaru, anyways?
"Hikaru's been doing well."
The pink-haired girl jumped on her seat. Did she just said that last thought out loud? She didn't notice. "O-Oh… is that so? Well, Kaoru's been well too."
"Hm."
And the thick tension was back again.
"I-I heard Kaoru's a pianist prodigy!" This time, Naruto noticed the tension and attempted to break it.
"Yes. Kakashi's been teaching him and he's been excellent." Sakura welcomed Naruto's attempt.
"Sir Kakashi, eh? He teaches piano too? That perverted school teacher…"
This time the female gave a hearty laugh that still sounded beautiful in Sasuke's ears. "Yes, him but don't worry, I watch his sessions with my child."
"You shouldn't encourage that freak with your presence, Sakura-chan…"
"Oh, Naruto."
"Kaoru's also been performing concertos around the globe." Sai added, much to Naruto's and Sasuke's irritation. That meant Sai was close to Sakura and Kaoru. "Where was the last country he went?"
"Oh! It was Italy during the summer. I wanted to come with Kaoru but something came up and I never got to see his performance."
"Italy! My child's school also went there during the summer for a school trip. Hey, Sasuke, are children are currently in the same school, right?"
"So?"
"Really? What coincidence." Ino butted in.
"I agree! They were staying at this classy hotel called…" Naruto vainly tried to remember hotel's name.
"Grand Hotel de la Minerve." Sasuke provided with obvious irritation.
"Yeah, yeah, That!"
"That's funny…" A weird feeling that could not be called dread but was not pure concern fell upon Sakura, "that's also the hotel Kaoru stayed in… "
"Really! My, that is a coincidence. I can't believe the twins were under the same room without their knowledge!" And a laugh of pure amusement erupted from the group except for Sai, Sakura and Sasuke. Somehow, they felt the same weird feeling Sakura first felt.
"Neh, was Kaoru any different when he returned?" Sasuke asked the question the fiancés unconsciously dreaded about.
So not really a flashback, meh.
Thank
you for all those who waited for months for this story. My continuous
update is dedicated to all of you.
I never planned in leaving this
fiction hanging. I also do not plan to discontinue my other fiction
but I will finish this one first because I like it more than the
other. Plus I have to revive ADF because it has plot holes and wrong
grammars and unpolished sequences.
Updates
might not come fast enough but I will still try. I won't force
anyone to review because I'm not a reviewer myself, anyways. 8D
Review if you feel I am worthy of it.
