[ May I ]
When no one can be found, may I lay you down
"Here, take these painkillers and some water."
Sakura forced the painkillers down her throat as she gasped for air after gulping down the water and the medicine.
"Feeling better?" Temari took the glass cup and placed it on the table. Sakura nodded.
"I'm sorry if I scared you." She said sheepishly, after calming down.
"It's alright. Why don't you get some sleep now?" Temari helped Sakura up and went into her room before she could argue back.
"Here, just sleep. Your headache would get better, or whatever that is." Temari stood up before looking around.
"Where's the bathroom?" Sakura immediately stood up and wanted to lead her to the bathroom when Temari pushed her down on the bed again.
"Have some sleep, just tell me the directions." Sakura pointed down the hallway.
"Go straight, and there it is." Sakura mumbled tiredly. The blonde nodded in response before heading out."I'm sorry if I troubled you." Sakura said hoarsely.
"I was the one that cause you the trouble, you had work tomorrow, so just rest. After cleaning up, I'll head to bed just fine." Temari smiled, slowly closing the door behind her. Before that, Temari popped her head through the small opening of the door.
"Good night." She waved, shutting the door.
Sakura smiled, looking at the dark sky outside her window. Her head slightly hurts even after eating the painkiller.
'Whenever I thought about it, I always get the painful headaches…' Sakura thought, slighting shifting herself under the cover. 'That picture…' Before she could think anymore, she gave a curt wince, rubbing her head once more.
'I guess I shouldn't think about it, like what Ino had always warned me… It wasn't something important anyway… I suppose.'
She flipped to the other side, her headache slightly subsiding, and slowly, she drift into a peaceful slumber.
Temari walked to her room, and grabbed some fresh clothes on her bed. The blonde was about to exit the room until her eyes fell upon the photo on the floor. She went over and picked it up, frowning. Temari shook her head, settling it on her bed before heading to take a shower.
0o0
"Maybe you shouldn't come to work…"
"I'm fine. I promise."
Sasori raised his head, watching the two girls trudging up the stairs, opening the glass door and walked in.
"What's wrong?" Deidara noticed the weird conversation between the two females.
"She had a horrible headache yesterday evening. You two should take care of her better."
"Temari!" Sakura nudged her.
"Are you alright yeah?" Deidara stood up from his seat, gazing at Sakura up and down.
"When we were alighting the bus, she almost fell." Temari continued.
"I was just feeling a little dizzy, I'm fine." Sakura protested.
Sasori frowned. Deidara slightly widened his eyes and took a chair at the corner, dragging it to Sakura and pat on the seat indicating her to sit. "You should sit down yeah." Deidara said worriedly.
Sakura sighed, but she gave a smile and sat down like what Deidara had said. He bent down to Sakura's level and took out his hand, about to touch Sakura's forehead when another beat him to it.
The pinkette slightly tensed, surprised with Sasori's soft touch on her rather huge forehead. "There's no fever." He merely said, putting down his hand. Concern etched his face, and he didn't bother to hide it.
On the cue, the office phone rang. Sakura was about to stand up when Deidara gave a pat on her shoulder, standing up instead. "I'll get the phone." Deidara headed to the stairs.
"Let me get a glass of water for you. Stay here also." Temari put her handbag at the corner of Sasori's table and walked out. Sakura gave a soft sigh.
"I'm sorry I've troubled everyone just because of me." She said moodily. Sasori looked at her, bending down like Deidara's position before.
"What happened? Did you knocked your head, or is anything wrong?" He asked in concern. She grasped her light blue shorts.
"I was helping Temari unpack her things and I came across a photo. The photo that you and Temari had took in the orphanage back then." She slightly frowned, her head started throbbing with pain, but she tries to ignore it.
"You. Seen the photo?" Sasori said incredulously, not waiting for Sakura to say finish her sentence.
"I did. And I began… thinking… The problem is, I can't remember what I was remembering or thinking after that" She repeated, noticing a change of tone in Sasori's voice.
'She seen it. She didn't remember… Yet, she seen it…'
"But I don't know why, the pain suddenly came…"
"Why did you bother to think so much?" Sasori admonished inwardly. Sakura blinked a few times, trying to register what he had just said.
"Since it's painful for you, you don't have to give a damn about it. Seeing that it's useless."
Her bright emerald eyes slightly wavered, staring in shock at the angry redhead. This was the first time Sakura seen Sasori in such a pissed, angry and somehow disappointed look in his face, even when she really pissed him off on her interview day, he was not that angry like now.
"Why are you standing-" Deidara walked up the stairs and stared weirdly at Temari. Without looking at him, she took another hand that was not holding the glass and cupped over Deidara's mouth. He stiffened his posture and slightly glared at her, trying to take away her hand.
Deidara was about to argue when he noticed that Temari was focusing her gaze on something. He looked at the same direction, watching his two other friends in silence.
"If it hurts so much, don't bother remembering anything then." Sasori muttered, his frown slightly deepened, both light brown eyes looked away as he stood up, walking to his desk.
Sakura looked down and stared at her crumpled shorts. Her lips suddenly went dry, her eyes slightly turned foggy. She wasn't about to cry. She was not… Sakura blinked her tears away quickly before standing up and looked at Sasori.
"I'll get to work now." She forced a smile, shuffling her feet and closed her workroom's door behind her.
Temari slowly put down her hand, her grip on the glass tightened. The two blondes turned and looked at each other, their eyes filled with concern about the two.
0o0
"Just buy anything." Sasori mumbled in the phone.
"Fine, Sakura?" Deidara asked.
The redhead looked up and stared at the door. "I don't know." He mumbled, uninterested.
"Ask her yeah." The other stated the obvious.
Unknown to the blonde, Sasori slightly hesitated. Looking at the door once more, he made an annoyed sigh. "Hold on."
Sasori stood up from his seat. He walked forward and quietly opened the door without knocking. He had guess that Sakura probably wouldn't be doing her work, but he never thought she would be talking to herself.
"Did I did something wrong again?" Sakura stared at the block of wood that was on the table. She picked up a pencil and lightly drew on it.
"If not, why was he so angry just now?" She sighed, drawing a small cat at the corner of the wood.
"I've never seen he so angry before. I preferred his laugh so much more. Back then, I never thought he would laugh like that." Sakura mused, finishing drawing the long tail.
Sasori blinked. He never thought much about it, but Sakura liked his laugh?
"Is he angry because I've seen his picture?" She pondered some more, and started drawing a fish in front of the cat.
"Haruno. I didn't hired you to draw and talked to yourself." Sasori drawled. Sakura jumped and dropped the pencil before turning her head so quickly that she thought she heard her a snap in her neck.
"I- I'm practicing drawing. I'm not talking to myself, I'm-"
"What do you want?" He ignored her explanation and raised his hand, shaking the phone. Sakura blinked. "Er… Cream puff." She said.
"I think you heard her." Sasori said.
"Very loud and clear yeah." Deidara replied, and they both ended the call.
Sakura silently gulped, realizing how awkward her situation is. Sasori sighed. "Did I traumatize you that bad? Why did you even talk to yourself?" Sasori raised an eyebrow.
Bright red dusted her cheeks, not knowing what to say. "No it's not like that…" She tried to explain, but her tongue seemed to be like it was tied in a knot.
'How much had he heard? Dammit! This is so embarrassing!'
Without a word, Sasori walked out and was about to close the door when a figure burst into their office. "I've bought some food! I know everyone must be hungry!" Temari merrily said, jumping with the bags on her hand.
Sakura stood up from her seat and look over Sasori's shoulder. "Wow… The amount can almost stock up at least a week." She said. Temari took out some sandwiches and puffs and handed it to Sasori who mindlessly took it.
"I left some more in the fridge. Actually, these piles weren't for you." Temari said sheepishly, taking the bags again. "I've promise Tsunade that I would visit when I left the other day after getting your office number."
"Help me say hi to the kids as well." Sasori said, putting down the food on his desk.
"Yeah yeah." Temari was about to go when she suddenly stopped.
The blonde took a box of painkillers from her pocket and handed it to Sasori. "Give it to her when she had any more headaches." She said, leaving the two alone in the office afterwards.
Sasori stared at the box in his hand, watching the cherry-haired walking to the desk, rubbing her hands in glee at all the food right before her hand. Glancing for the last time, he put the small box in one of his drawers, before making an important phone call.
0o0
"Thank you." Deidara took the bag of food and the change, walking warily out from the store.
At that moment, his phone rang. He gave an inward sigh before digging his pocket, fishing out his phone. He stared at the caller's name before answering.
"I'm back yeah. What's the hurry?" Deidara muttered, rather pissed off because of the long queue he had to line-up to buy the food.
"Temari just bought tons of food, you can just come back now." Sasori said.
"Are you kidding me? I already bought it yeah." Deidara gritted his teeth through clenched teeth. Even though he had some patience, he really hated queuing up to buy food.
"Then just come back." Sasori plainly repeated, with no sign of feeling sorry or guilt in his voice. "Fine…" Deidara cut the call, glaring at the bag of food. "How could they bully me like this?" The blonde said, walking down the street for his car.
"Thank you Ino, your flowers are always beautiful!"
"If you like it, do pick your orders again someday." Ino said cheerfully, stepping out from a store and waved back at the owner, before skipping to her bouquet shop just across her street.
"I didn't know I'm actually near her shop yeah…" Deidara muttered.
"Ino!" He shouted, waving at her with the bag of puffs in her hand. The blonde whirled around at the call of her name. "Deidara?" She said in surprise. After looking left and right, she crossed the road and approached Deidara.
"Want some puffs?"
"The puffs here are awesome… Thank you!" Ino grabbed some from the bag and began licking the cream. Deidara stared at the remaining puffs and picked one in the middle. "You came here to deliver some flowers?" He started a conversation.
"Yeah, since it's near the store, I walked instead of using transport." She said.
"Ahh… I wanted to ask you. Does Sakura regularly get headaches like today yeah?"
"Headaches?"
"Yeah, I thought you were her friend so you might know something."
"Don't tell me…" Ino licked the cream off her fingers, before pointing at his car at the end of the pavement. "I want to see if she's alright, mind taking me a lift?" Ino said desperately.
"Uhh, sure?" Deidara gave a sidelong glance at the worried look on Ino's face. "Is something the matter yeah?" He finally asked, the curiosity getting the better of him.
Ino tapped her foot patiently beside Deidara's car before he unlocked the door. Deidara started the car, yet he's waiting for Ino's respond.
"This happened when Sakura was just 8 years old…"
0o0
"Here, I brought some cakes." Temari placed the bags on Tsunade's desk.
"That's… a lot?" Tsunade raised an amused eyebrow. Temari grabbed a seat while the other rummage through the bags and looked over at the different snacks.
"What's with the sudden urge in coming back to town?" Tsunade asked, picking the cake that caught her attention.
"To check something." The blonde sighed, twirling with her spiky ponytail. Tsunade stared weirdly at her, unwrapping the plastic that was wrapping around the cream.
"I was wondering, do you know Sasori's assistant, Sakura?" Temari asked randomly.
"Yeah, she is one of my good friend's child. Anyway, why did you bring this up?"
"I see. Yesterday I was practically homeless, and that two ingrates didn't agree to allow me staying in their apartment. So Sakura kindly did. Then when we're unpacking, Sakura came across the photo we took decades ago, the first one she recognize was you, me, and after that… Sasori." Temari frowned, recalling the incident when she saw Sasori raising his voice at Sakura.
"She did? What happened to her?"
"How did you know something happened to her?
"So she really did?" Tsunade sighed, putting down her food and looked down at her reflection on the cup of coffee.
"She had a major headache. I managed to calm it down after letting her rest and giving her some painkillers…" Temari eyed Tsunade suspiciously before continuing.
"Today, Sasori seemed to be rather upset because of this incident."
Tsunade raised her head, her golden eyes widened so big as if it was about to pop out. "Tsk. That's why I didn't tell her about his presence before…"
"Did I miss out something?" Temari stretched her neck. "What's going on between the two of them? Tell her what?"
Tsunade slightly hesitate for a while, she looked away from Temari's eyes but sighed.
"When Sasori came to the orphanage, I mentioned about his injuries, remember?" Tsunade said meekly. Temari nodded.
"Before that, he had an accident. And it was Sakura who pulled him back from hell."
Temari unknowingly gasped. She always thought Sasori was just a quiet person who always kept to himself, who knew that so much things had happened to him.
"He almost died from the loss of blood, thankfully it was Sakura who found him in the dark alley. Apparently, Sasori couldn't forget that night, the night which he met Sakura for the first time." Tsunade watch Temari as she stared at the table, deep in thought.
"Then, why can't she…"
"At the age of 8, she had a car accident when she was cycling at the road alone. Most of her memories back then were erased. We took time and care to help her regain most of her memories. But not all of them were successfully return…"
0o0
"And once, she forced herself to remember something, she went for a semi-coma that last three days. She seriously scared the hell out of us." Ino said.
Deidara stopped his car at the corner. Ino opened the door slammed it shut, pointing at the building, telling Deidara she's going up first. He nodded curtly, locking his car. 'Who would knew something that bad happened to Sakura…' He swiftly put his keys in his pocket and rushed behind Ino who was already u the stairs.
Ino barged into the Sakura's room and shook her shoulders.
"Do you have anymore aches? Did you eat something before you work? Did they bully you?" Ino points an accusing finger at Sasori instead of Deidara, who just walked into the room.
Sasori raised his eyebrow and watched Deidara walking towards him. "I met Ino a while ago yeah." Deidara drawled.
"No Ino! It's not like this. I'm fine." Sakura made Ino put down her arm.
"It's not fine Sakura, even though this happen long ago, I can't let this matter rest." Ino said, before pulling Sakura out from her project room.
"I'm taking you to the hospital." Ino decided.
"Believe me Ino, I'm really ok." Sakura sighed.
"What's wrong?" Sasori finally asked.
"When she was young, Sakura had a concussion on her head, and she would get painful headaches when she tries to remember some things." Ino explained.
"Ino!"
Right at that moment, Temari walked in with a packet drink in her hand. She stopped on her track after Ino made her speech.
"Sakura." Ino suddenly turned serious. "Don't tell me you tried remembering again." She almost glared at her.
"Ino!" Sakura sighed, watching the other three who were staring at her. After being caught by Sasori for staring at him, she finally spoke.
"I didn't do it on purpose, those memories just came flooding in." Sakura said.
Temari immediately turned and look at Sasori. She couldn't make out his expression.
"And, I didn't want all to be worried about me just because of such small things." Sakura said seriously, continuing. "For the last time, if I felt dizzy or any pain in my head, I'll immediately retire from my work and head home."
"Alright…" Ino gave up persuading Sakura to go for check up, she looked at her watched and stared in horror.
"Kami! I need to go now. I have more deliveries to rush. We'll talk next time" Ino combed her hair between her fingers, greeting an acknowledgement at Temari before rushing down.
"Do you need a ride?" Deidara shouted, Ino turned and gave a grin.
"Thanks!" She continued walking down, as Deidara walked passed Temari and followed Ino down as well.
Sakura sighed, before looking at the other two. "I'll go to work." The pinkette said awkwardly, returning to the room.
Sasori looked at the clock on the wall, and then at Temari. "I'll go get some fresh air." He merely said, trudging out.
Temari blinked, watching the rest doing their own things; the sound of the car engine starting outside as Ino and Deidara got on their car, the drilling of wood in the other room and the sounds of the footsteps Sasori made as he climbed up the stairs to the roof top.
She frowned and sighed, taking another sip from her drink. Deciding what she should do, she gripped onto the glass handle and opened it and walked out of the room.
0o0
Temari walked closer to the redhead who was leaning against the railing, gazing at the traffic. She gave a tap at the other side of Sasori's back as he turned and faced Temari's direction.
"Huh? You don't fall for that anymore?" Temari gave a bored look. Sasori return the bored look and stared at Temari.
"I'm not the same 10 years old Sasori you met." He reminded her.
"But your eyes are still the same, they always betrayed your emotions." She said.
Sasori looked away, knowing what she was hinting. Temari placed her hands over the cool railing and watched the traffic in silent with Sasori.
"Tsunade, she told me what happened to you – and Sakura, years back." She spoke.
He didn't say anything, but continuing looking forward. Temari sighed. "Sometimes, I don't get it, why does everyone always kept me in the dark, and always the one who is the last one to know something?" Temari muttered.
"My parents, Tsunade, everyone… and especially you. You always kept to yourself no matter what. Sasori, you have to share your problems, and not keep it to yourself, always hiding behind those eyes of yours. Problems and feelings are meant to be shared, and not to be kept hidden. It's really bad for your health." Temari chided.
"If you don't say your feelings and thought out, they can't understand, especially Sakura." Temari said, deciding to go straight to the point. "Not everyone is that professional and able to read your mind like Tsunade and I." The blonde admonished inwardly.
"If I say I don't have any problems, you wouldn't believe me, do you?"
"Of course I wouldn't believe that. What do you take me for? A three years-old kid? A person who met you less than a day? I had known you more than a decade! Simply I just know you inside out." She said
Sasori looked at her, he doesn't have any points to argue back. Even when he tried, he'll lose eventually.
"About Sakura, are you upset she couldn't remember?" Temari awkwardly asked.
'His only hope was dashed…'
Sasori kept silent.
"You like her, don't you?"
Sasori suddenly hiccupped. He covered his mouth with the back of his hand. He hiccupped again. Temari tried to hold back her laughter as she took it as a "Yes". The blonde kindly volunteered her drink and he accepted it.
"You had the obvious look of falling in love. That look I've never seen in my entire life until now." She teased.
He handed back her drink, recalling when his friends teased him like Temari. Was his ability of covering his feelings and emotion really slipping?
"Then why didn't you-" She paused.
He knew why she paused
'She mentioned she had a boyfriend…' Temari suddenly remembered.
She looked away, knowing that she lost her fight even when Sasori said much lesser than her.
They kept in silence for the entire time, ignoring the horning of the cars and the howling wind.
"I heard from Tsunade that you're doing great in Sunagakure, did you came back for a holiday?" Sasori spoke.
She remained dead silence, before turning and looked seriously at him. " You know I like you all these while don't you?"
The redhead never answered, years back when Temari left for Sunagakure, she asked the same thing. But he never replied as well.
Her lips turned into a smile, changing the atmosphere to a whole different level. "As for your question, I came back here just to make sure of something." She said.
"And I'm leaving pretty soon anyway. There's something very important that I need to answer also." The blonde took another sip of her drink.
"You're leaving?" The redhead asked to make sure.
Temari nodded, crushing the packet in the middle like the remaining core of an apple. "You should come over for a visit next time. I'll be the tour guide." She winked.
"I would." He made a smile, returning to his posture.
"Hey Sasori…"
"Huh?"
"Nothing, I just find your face rather cute." Temari giggled.
"…"
0o0
"Why don't you stay for another week? I could bring you to somewhere fun." Sakura said.
"It's alright, I really had fun when I was staying here." The blonde replied, holding onto her passport.
She patted her plane ticket on Sasori's shoulder. "Take care… Both of you. And tell that stupid Deidara as well." Temari said.
"Yeah."
Temari turned her attention to Sakura.
"Sakura, you won. I can actually leave in peace rather than worrying about it." Temari said.
"I won?" Sakura wondered aloud.
Sasori stared at the blonde while she just smiled back in return. "I should be leaving now. Do come and visit some time." Temari waved back, pulling her luggage and handed her passport for the officers to check. "Bye!" Sakura shouted.
Temari waved the last time, as the officers handed her passport back.
The two turned and walked out of the airport after watching Temari passed the checking point.
Temari stopped on her track, whirling around as she watched Sasori and Sakura's back. She smiled.
'I lost…'
'No one managed to stole Sasori heart, but she did.'
'She won…'
Temari took out her phone and began pressing the numbers. After a while, the caller picked up.
"Temari! You finally called! I-I'm sorry that I scared you the other day for proposing to you. I promise I wouldn't do it again, I'm serious-"
"I just came back to make sure of something. And I'm relieved." Temari looked back again, but Sasori and Sakura had already gone from where they were.
"Huh?"
"I'll marry you." Temari finally said.
"You'll what?"
"I said, I'll marry you."
"You'll what…"
"I said I'm going to marry you! Sora Baka!" Temari almost yelled, earning some glances from a few passengers.
"She agreed! Temari agreed!" Temari could picture how Sora would be bouncing, jumping and hugging whoever was in sight. She sighed.
"Hello?" The blonde called out.
"She agreed to marry me! She really did!" He continued yelling, and suddenly, the call went dead. Temari frowned, looking at her phone. She shook her head and stuffed her phone into her pocket.
Temari smiled once more, pulling the luggage behind her.
0o0
"So, did that give you any inspiration?"
"Of course it did, the colours and the animation were so vivid… I didn't know that such techniques exist in the world…" Sakura said in amazement.
"Hello, want to but one of our latest couple rings for your girlfriend? I'm pretty sure she would love it." A girl outside a jewelry shop handed out a piece of flyer to Sasori.
"I guess you have mistaken it, he's not my boyfriend." Sakura explained.
"I'm sorry, you two look so perfect for each other." She said.
Sasori blinked while Sakura slightly blushed and tried to turn her attention by looking at the flyer in Sasori's hand. "It sure looks nice…"
"Why don't you take a look here?" The salesperson took the two of them to the clear glass window and showed different types of beautiful jewelries.
"Whoa… this is so beautiful." Sakura pointed at one of the rings behind the glass window.
"This is one of our latest product that our manufacturer had personally made put the diamonds around the ring." The salesperson said.
Sakura sighed, and began looking at the other pieces as the salesgirl assists her. Sasori stared at the ring that Sakura had liked. Sasori blinked. He just couldn't picture himself buying a ring for a girl.
He glanced at it for the last time, before looking up. Looking around until both of his brown eyes slightly widened in horror.
His friend's younger brother, Sasuke, was wearing a ring for another girl. She laughed as she looked at the beautiful ring in her ring finger. Sasori frowned.
'How could he…'
"Hey Sasori…" Sakura looked up, pointing at one of the necklace behind the glass. She noticed the way Sasori frowned, like he had just drunk a liter of lime and lemon juice. Sakura tilted her head and looked at the direction where Sasori was looking at.
"Sakura let's g-" Sasori clicked his tongue. He swiftly turned and was about to pull Sakura away from the shop when he realized it was too late.
Sakura's arm fell back to her side, her heart raced. Bright green eyes widened and ignoring how foggy her eyes was, she stepped forward and into the store.
Slowly and steadily, she came over to the Uchiha's side as she frowned ominously, her eyes glared at him. "Uchiha… Sasuke…"
Sasuke and the women turned, looking at the girl before them. "Sakura?"
"What are you doing here? With her?" Sakura tried to keep her voice calm and clear. She glanced at the ring that the red-haired was wearing."You lied to me… You told me you had meetings today…" Sakura muttered.
"Sakura, listen to me…" Sakura shrugged Sasuke hand off.
"How many times had you lied to me? I-I just can't believe… You do this… to me."
She's hurt
Sasori's eyes softened as he watched the three, he could not do anything… he really wished he could just pulled Sakura to his embrace and comfort her…
Sasuke took her hand but she immediately slapped it away, oblivious to the cool beads pressing down her own cheeks.
She felt betrayed.
"Uchiha Sasuke. You bastard!"
Her heart was shattered.
She ran out
To be continue
Author's Note:
THIS. IS. THE. MOMENT!
Next chapter… :D
:D = Reviews!