Goodbye Apathy
"Sakura."
'This voice again. That voice I've heard a few nights ago.'
"S-Sasuke?" She turned her head as she watched the man walking towards her in the empty cafeteria; she quickly looked back without asking any more questions as she continued on what she was doing just now.
He didn't wait for an invitation as he sat in front of her, observing her face that was deep in thought for thinking the answer. "What are you doing?" He spoke, trying to start the conversation.
"I'm doing my last minute homework. Forgotten to do it yesterday." She bit her lips when she accidentally spelt the word wrongly. She grabbed her correction fluid and crossed it over the word, waiting for it to dry before writing again.
"How was the party that Sunday night? I went to bed early." He muttered monotonously.
"It was great, except the part when it gave me a hangover on Monday." She sighed, frowning ominously when she remembered how painful it was when her head hurts that day.
Sakura was slightly used to talking to Sasuke since she had finally admitted to Sasori about not liking him anymore. But she was still not used to the awkwardness between them. But if it's not for the work that she was focusing so hard on, she might be looking around nervously to see and crazy fan girl popping out from nowhere.
"Actually…" There was a short pause and Sasuke just looked away, hoping that Sakura didn't heard it.
"What is it?" Sakura gazed up and tilted her head to one side, looking at Sasuke with two of her bright innocent green eyes. She looked down again when Sasuke didn't replied immediately as she needed to rush finish her homework before the first period starts.
The Uchiha bit his lips. He wanted to tell her about the night he heard that Sasori and Deidara had liked her. But…
But why did he care? It was their problems anyway. Yet he wanted to help Sakura so much.
He didn't even have the authority to advice or tell what other people to do in a relationship, furthermore, he wasn't good in all these stuff. Telling Sakura might make the situation more complicated. He gave an inward sigh.
He couldn't even fix his own relationship right. Yet he was sitting here, telling her stuff like this. He couldn't help but find himself stupid.
"Nothing. Nothing important."
Sakura lifted her head up and frowned, wanting to know what was Sasuke keeping back. But before she could convince him to tell, the bell started to ring obnoxiously.
"I'm going off now." She heaved a sigh of relief when she did her work on time. Sakura started packing up while Sasuke just stood up, waiting for her to finish packing her bag as both of them proceeded out to the canteen, to only bump into one of Sasuke's friend.
"Hey Sasuke." Suigetsu called out for his friend from the crowd.
The Uchiha heir turned and looked at him before giving a last glance at Sakura.
"I'll get going first." Sakura informed him before running off to another direction. Sasuke wanted to give a polite wave back but he decided to just forget it.
"What are you two together?" Suigetsu appeared before him in a matter of seconds. He cocked his head to one side before a light bulb appeared above his head. "Did you confessed?" He smirked at his buddy.
"No." He gave a stoic expression like he always did.
"So she confessed to you?" He gave a big grin. "Did you accept? I mean you do like he-"
"No. And why would she do that?" He calmly said, turning to look at Suigetsu.
"I thought she likes you." Suigetsu stated, cocking his head to another side again. "I mean, all the girls do." He said, as a statement instead of a question.
Sasuke ignored the first sentence and muttered. "No, quite a number of them don't." He innocently raised his hands and started counting. "Ino, Hinata and… Sakura."
"Three, out of a few hundreds of girls in the entire school. You did great bro." Suigetsu gave a dumb look, slapping his hand behind Sasuke back. "Then you should have confessed. Maybe things would be better." He added.
"What for? I don't even deserve her." Sasuke muttered, watching the pink-haired girl at the end of the corridor. Suigetsu just gave a raised eyebrow and looked at what Sasuke was staring at.
"But…"Sasuke paused before continuing confidently.
"I know that guy will love her, much more than I can ever do."
0o0
"You are annoying yeah!" A voice yelled.
"You better take that back, Deidara." Sasori could easily recognize it was Pein's voice.
"Don't let this involve us." Kisame said loudly.
Sasori frowned, clutching tightly onto the doorknob before turning it steadily and pushing it. He quietly stepped in and glanced at the people in the huge room.
Konan was grabbing onto a pillow and seating the furthest away from the door. Her knuckles were already white and her eyebrows were frowning ominously at the particular blonde who was also glaring back, but not as intensive at Konan's.
The redhead rarely saw Konan so angry before. Unless something terrible had happened, like her favorite origami collection was burnt.
"Sorry. Traffic." Sasori whispered the two words and it explained everything before anyone had to ask him. Although he was whispering like a little mouse, it was actually enough to sound like huge meteorites hitting the Earth. The situation was as tensed like that.
"Move, lazy ass." Kakuzu muttered. Kisame sighed, standing up and sat on the other side to let Sasori to have a space to sit.
Sasori slowly sat down, obviously not knowing what was happening, and the awkward silence was disturbing him a little.
"I'm not going to apologize Konan. I am in the right. I have the chance to pursue my love for her. I like her too and no one can stop me yeah." Deidara finally spoke.
"Deidara…" Konan muttered dangerously through clenched teeth.
"What is actually going on?" Sasori spoke, interrupting their conversation. He was practically lost here.
"Deidara likes Sakura." Hidan gave the briefest summary ever in his whole life.
"Yeah, and so?" Deidara glared at Hidan before looking at Sasori, wanting to know what was his reaction.
"I know that long ago." The redhead just shrugged casually.
All six of them excluding Deidara turned and stared at Sasori in shock.
"You know?" Itachi blinked.
"Yeah." Sasori leaned against one of the many bookshelves in the room. "And I like her too."
Deidara's eyes widened, glaring at Sasori as though he betrayed him.
"Sakura will never like you, so you should give up yeah." He stood up and sneered at Sasori.
"Why would Sakura ever fall in love with you yeah? You are just a poor, meaningless, parentless, and emotionless guy! You have no right to love her. She deserves someone much better than you. Someone who can support her when she needed it." Deidara yelled, still not to break the glare away from the redhead.
"Deidara!" Itachi stood up in a second and grabbed Deidara's arm, nudging him in the ribs very hard.
"Shut the fuck up." Hidan hissed, not happy at the way Deidara was shouting at Sasori as well.
"You!" Konan stood up along with Itachi, glaring at Deidara and wanting to punch him so much.
Sasori widened his eyes by a few inches, tilting his head like an innocent child. His expression was filled with hurt and mostly confusion.
"You were right." He spoke in a whisper, adding swiftly behind. "But I never thought of wanting her to like me." He softly said, looking away from Deidara's stern gaze.
"I'm glad you thought that way." Deidara narrowed his eyes.
Sasori bent down and took his bag, carrying it onto his shoulder.
"I'm going off now." He mumbled, first time so unconfidently and upset in his whole life. He whirled around and swung open the door, closing it behind them.
0o0
"Fuck Fuck Fuck. Why are we doing the chasing while the rest of them are enjoying the air-conditioner in that room?" Hidan groaned.
"You look this way, I'll look that way." Pein gestured the direction and Hidan finally obeyed him for once.
Pein looked around down the empty street and was about to walk back to find Hidan when a figure caught his eyes.
The orange-haired noticed the redhead much better as he walked even closer towards him. He walked forward and sat down on the bus stop seat without an invitation, and he just sat there as he observed Sasori.
"You alright?" That's what Pein could only think of to say.
Sasori gave a glance and turned away, not bothering to reply even when he was suppose to respect him as a leader of the gang.
"When?" Pein asked. "When did you start?"
"I don't know." Sasori sighed, feeling flustered than ever.
At one point, he wanted her just to get out of his way and mind her own life. But today, Sasori could never ever thought about it.
He truly wanted her by his side.
"My duty was to get you back and make Deidara apologize, but I guess that's not very important for now." Pein stood up and dusted his jeans.
"You guys are friends for years. You almost fell out previously with him because of a girl." Pein stared at him, wanting Sasori to look up but he failed.
"Is it worth it?" Pein muttered, never moving his glance from the redhead.
Pein never expected an answer, so he decided to just leave him alone at the bench to think.
0o0
"Where the fuck he went? Didn't know that he's a fast runner." Hidan looked around again, putting his hands on his hips.
Pein gave a glance at the bus stop before looking at him. "We should give Sasori some time to think."
"Jashin, they fought for a girl years ago, didn't know history would repeat it fucking self." Hidan scratched his cheeks before looking at the orange-haired man.
"Whose side are you on?" Hidan muttered.
Pein gave a raised eyebrow for such serious question that Hidan would ask once-in-a-blue-moon. The orange-haired didn't respond but just shrugged.
"Talking to you is like talking to another Itachi, or a fucking orange rock with flowers on it." Hidan rolled his eyes.
"Then what about you?" Pein narrowed his eyes, a little offended about how he was compared to a rock.
His lavender eyes looked away and just stared at the bus that just leave the stop.
"Talking to you is like another Itachi, or a rabbit with pink adorable eyes like yours."
"Fuck off." Hidan glared at him.
Pein smirked, satisfied with his comment. "Make me."
0o0
"You are such an ass."
Hidan opened the door, allowing the leader to walk in first before he followed behind.
"Couldn't find him." Pein lied through his teeth. Everyone believed him of course, looking at his poker face given every single day; no one could understand what he was thinking sometimes.
Konan then turned towards the blonde. "Stop being so stubborn. You and Sakura are impossible." Konan argued.
Deidara fought an urge not to reply.
"You don't have to be so harsh on him though." Itachi said, taking on pity on the poor blonde, even though he somehow deserved it.
"Fuck that. Just because of the pinkhead and there's this mess?" Hidan muttered angrily. "What's with you people? Falling for a pinky, is that a new trend?"
"Just shut the hell up if you don't have any nice things to say." Kakuzu said angrily.
"If that's the case, I'll be fucking mute." Hidan spat.
"I'll have to thank Jashin for that." Kisame cut in.
"Guys." Pein looked at them with his face of wanting to kill anyone who interrupts the main conversation here. Everyone quieted down immediately.
Konan was pissed, meaning Pein would get annoyed, irking Itachi and making Kisame vexed as well. Hidan would start to curse and swear and Kakuzu would get a headache.
Everyone glared at Deidara. It was his entire fault for pissing the woman off.
0o0
"Kakuzu." Deidara called out before the bulky man could approach to the nearest car.
The man turned and observed Deidara trudging toward him while the blonde combed his soft hair with his fingers.
"What is it?" He drawled, giving a bored look.
"I have a small request yeah." He muttered, having a serious look on his face. It was rare for Deidara to be so serious at times. He was always cheerful and smiling everyday, no worries at all. But it didn't surprise him after all the mess going on previously.
"What is it?" Kakuzu repeated again, however, looking slightly more interested than previously.
"There's something important that I need your help." Deidara walked closer to him, making sure no one overheard both of them.
"It's about this little scheme that I've been planning for quite a while."
0o0
"You again?" Ino raised an eyebrow, looking Deidara up and down before giving a scoff.
"What do you want yeah?" The male blonde scowled unpleasantly, looking at Ino in disdain.
Deidara was standing outside of Sakura's school again, before he could sneak in, unfortunately, he was immediately found out with Ino's hawk eye.
The blonde tapped his feet in annoyance as he stood before the mirrored girl version of him. He argued about the fact she copied his hairstyle beforehand, but that wasn't the point for now. He had something more important to do and meeting Sakura was his point of objective why he was here.
"This is our school, that should be what I'm asking you." Ino jabbed her finger into Deidara's hard and firm chest.
"It isn't your business yeah."
A crowd soon gathered and it certainly brought up a lot of other people's attention. Ino scoffed at the amount of attention that was brought to them and she had no choice but to slip away and let him deal with it. Deidara couldn't help but wished the DeathNote notebook he got for his birthday present was actually usable.
"Stupid blondie." Deidara growled, slightly gasping for air as everyone started crowding around him.
"Waiting for Sakura again?"
"I'll help you call her."
"Oh my, he has some fine abs."
After a few minutes of pestering, Sakura finally tramped into the crowd, demanding to know what was going on there. But in only a second after breaking up the crowd, the blonde pulled her away from the throng as they took a quick stroll down the quiet and empty street, even though Sakura wasn't quite willing to. In a matter of time, they already lost all of stalkers that were following behind them all the way, thinking that Deidara actually didn't know.
"What are you doing? Let me go." Sakura finally managed to struggle from Deidara's tight grip as both of them halted at that spot.
Deidara turned abruptly, looking at Sakura as she was still rubbing her swollen wrist.
"What is wrong with you?" Sakura whined, oblivious to the serious expression in Deidara's eyes.
0o0
A few streets away from the two, there were two guys walking along the pavement. The street was quiet and only a few kids were playing football at the opposite field. Sasori observed them for a while before turning his head to the man beside him.
"Where are we going?" Sasori spoke, tilting his head to one side as he followed the tall man.
"You'll know soon." Kakuzu mumbled. "Just follow me."
0o0
"Sakura."
"What?" She still didn't look into his eyes, his unreasonable and bossy attitude made her hated him so much and now she was forced to someplace she wasn't familiar with.
A group of people was pushing her towards the entrance, saying there was a surprise for her, only to find this blonde hooligan, and was pulled to this empty street as though he had the authority to. She was supposed to report to her principle about a bullying incident that occurred yesterday. But now she's wasting her precious time with this man he despised in the middle of nowhere.
"I love you."
This definitely caught her attention. Her head jerked up and her bright green eyes widened. Both arms were back to her side and her mouth was wide open.
"Sakura, I love you!" Deidara grabbed both of her arms and shook her, as though she would hear even more clearly if he did.
This time, his voice sounded demanding and much more serious. His azure eyes didn't waver for at all. Furthermore, Sakura was actually expecting him to he broke down laughing at the next second, saying it was just a prank.
But he didn't, he still had that unsmiling and serious expression plastered on his face. She definitely didn't like how this was going.
"Let go of me!" Sakura yelled, pushing him away. Deidara took a step back as he gazed at Sakura, almost as though he was hurt.
"I… I don't like you!" She shouted, although there wasn't a need to since Deidara could hear it loud and clear.
"Why?" He muttered.
"What is wrong with you?" Sakura glared at him. "Your idiotic joke is going too far this time. Imagine if the girl you said this to really likes you? How would she feel!? Yet you're just toying with her feelings!" Sakura howled.
"I'm fucking serious." Deidara tried his best to give her the most solemn expression he could ever give.
There was a complete silence, for a couple of seconds they just stood there, neither of the moved nor spoke.
"I can't."
Deidara blinked, surprised that Sakura finally replied.
"If that's true, about you liking me. I'm sorry, but I can't like you." She looked away, feeling a little convince of what Deidara was telling her all the while.
"Why?" He demanded for the answer in split seconds after Sakura finished speaking.
Sakura swallowed her saliva, whirling around and was prepared to leave without saying anything but Deidara grabbed her arm and pulled her back.
"Why?" He shouted, his tone tainted in anger and fury.
Sakura glared at her feet, not willing to look at Deidara. Why should she admit to him? She can't say her feelings no matter what. She already promised herself that she would tell no one about her true feelings for anyone again.
…She won't…
"Why? Tell me why you can't accept me?"
...Tell anyone…
"Tell me!"
…About her true feelings…
"Why Sakura?"
"It's because I fell in love with Sasori!"
The grip on Sakura's wrist loosened immediately as Deidara's arm fell back to his side. Sakura started choking on her tears as she rubbed her eyes forcefully, preventing herself from crying any further.
"But I know it's impossible between us." Sakura sobbed, taking in a deep breath and holding back her tears. Deidara stood silently in front of her, allowing her to continue with her confession.
"Why would he like a stupid, childish, immature and loud pink-haired girl with weird taste and personality? If I were him, I would have chosen Konan or some other prettier girls that were out there waiting for him." Sakura took in a deep breath once again, refusing to let her emotions to control herself.
"This past few months being with him was the best time I've ever been in my life. Being my true self and to be able to speak up more than I usually do. I start to know what I want I truly want for myself instead of thinking for other people and allowing them to control me." Sakura shook her head vigorously, refusing to let her tears flow once more, but it still did.
"Two years ago." Sakura hiccupped. "I thought I fell in love with Sasuke." She said honestly, daring herself to look into Deidara's eyes. "But I was wrong, it was just infatuation." Sakura turned away from his gaze and stared at the traffic again.
"But I only realized that when I was with Sasori, because I found out that I've fallen in love with him instead."
"So I can't like you. I'm sorry." Sakura lowered her head and stared at her feet.
"I'm already in love with someone whom I can never be with…"
"Sakura."
The said girl froze, stopping her sobbing as she gradually lifted her head up. The blonde was staring ahead, his bright aqua eyes widened in shock, and Sakura could then confirm the voice that called out her name wasn't Deidara.
Yet it was so familiar… So soothing, just like a lullaby.
Little by little, the pinkette turned her head, facing the redhead who was standing a few meters away from her. Although her eyes were foggy from the amount of crying she had, she could still distinct the familiar chocolate-colored eyes, the eyes that she was mesmerized not too long ago.
It was particularly soft today. Instead of his stern gaze that was directed to anyone that was looking at him, it was actually more gentle and kind.
"Sasori…" She spoke in a whisper, her eyes broadened to the size of a ping-pong ball.
It was as if Deidara was forgotten when Sakura turned and faced the redhead standing before her. She seemed to have entered another world that only Sasori and herself existed, no one else.
The redhead frowned and slowly turned to face Kakuzu, but he was already nowhere in sight. He just turned back to his blonde best friend and gave him a questioning look instead.
Sasori didn't understand what was going on. He thought he was the smart one here, understanding his best friend inside out, but he didn't know Deidara would go this far…
'This was what he was planning all along…'
The blonde slowly stepped away and quietly nodded his head, whirling around and walked away. Now he understood what Deidara was planning all along.
Sasori's main focus was then turned to the pinkette standing before him.
'How long had it been…' Sasori stared confusing at the pinkette.
'How much had he heard…' Sakura couldn't help but wonder.
Sasori noticed the dried tear lines that were left on Sakura's cheek and his heart slightly ached. It was because of him that she cried, and it was because of him that Sakura had been in so much confusion lately. He wanted to walk over to wipe it off for her, but he didn't dare. But he didn't dare to walk away either. The redhead was afraid once he does, it might give Sakura the wrong thought.
He didn't don't like her, it was just because he couldn't accept the fact that Sakura just admitted she liked him so easily…
For Sakura, she just wished she could bury herself in some deep hole. She wanted to run away, flee from the country and live in the middle of the desert or something, but her legs weren't doing what she wanted.
She was forced to stand before the guy she loved for so long, and she had to hear what he was going to say as well.
But she was already ready, to get rejected.
0o0
Behind the huge vending machine that was near the streets, Deidara was jabbing the buttons on his phone. He wasn't angry, but rather disappointed with his little game he was playing. He knew this was the ending he wanted, but he didn't know that it would affect him so much.
He brought the phone to his ear and waited for a moment.
"Kakuzu yeah?" Deidara called out after the receiver had picked up.
"They seem fine."
"I know that, I have eyes." Deidara muttered, as if he was venting his anger on his friend.
"Then are you?"
There was a pregnant silence between the two and Deidara just give a huge sigh.
"Don't tell anyone about this. Not even that annoying Konan even if she bribed you."
"That depends on the price." Deidara rolled his eyes, as if Kakuzu was able to see it.
"Please hit yourself in the face." The blonde snapped, hanging up the call.
He gave a last little peek behind the huge machine before deciding he shouldn't go on anymore. His role for this acting game was over.
No, he wasn't acting. It was real.
From the beginning, he wanted everyone to think that he liked Sakura and also forcing her to like him as well. Then, that would be the moment when Sakura would said her true feelings that was hidden deep inside her heart, lashing out all the reasons she couldn't like him because she fell for another.
That would be… Sasori.
That was what he originally planned out, and it ended well. But he didn't know he would actually fall in love, of all people, that insane girl which he swore he wouldn't fell for.
The rest would be up to Sasori from now on. But if his best friend messed the whole thing up himself, he swore he'll snatched Sakura back from him.
0o0
Deidara was sitting alone at the nearby bench he found after walking quite a distance away from the two. He wished to be alone as he switched off his phone and put on his earpiece, shutting himself from the world.
However, a certain rude blonde didn't want him to.
Deidara could felt one of the earpiece was forcefully pulled out from his ears, he flung opened his eyes, obviously displeased at the fact when he was listening to his favorite band.
"Hn. No wonder you couldn't hear even though I was shouting at you."
Deidara looked up, noticing two long and smooth legs standing before him. He recognized the voice and realized who was the one standing before him as Deidara straightened his posture, snatching his earpiece back from the girl's hand.
"I thought you were just another playboy I met in school." She spoke, both arms at her hips as she watched him tiredly reaching out for his pocket.
"What do you want? Again." He spat, taking out his Ipod and stopped the music.
Ino crossed her arm, looking at him with an unpleasant scowl. "I'm trying to comfort you. Please be grateful." She muttered, two of her turquoise eyes glaring at the blonde.
"I'm so touched yeah." Deidara faked a thankful voice before gazing up, noticing that Ino had already sitting beside him so gracefully without a sound. She could have been known as the silent killer if she's part of his gang back then.
"I followed you two; you and Sakura. Didn't know you intended to confess your love for her, only to get rejected and letting her to go with Sasori." She swung her silky hair. "Just like what I expected. I knew she love Sasori from the beginning."
"What's with you?" Deidara growled, glaring at the girl. He was currently having a tough time gaining back his composure and this stupid weird stalker had to rub salt into his wound.
"Oh don't be sad." Ino feigned a pitiful look, giving a small pat at Deidara's shoulder and sigh. "You'll find a better girl like me soon."
"You will never be better than Sakura." Deidara snorted, turning away and looked at a few children playing on the swing. The hand that was on his back slowly moved away and he could feel her leaning back on the bench again in silence.
He thought she would be whining about more stuff that would piss him off, but the silence between them surprised him. Deidara slowly turned back and looked over his shoulder, staring at the quiet blonde sitting there and rather upset with his words.
"I know I'll never be better than her."
He arched an eyebrow, looking wearily at her.
"I was just kidding yeah. You two are the best." He said, a little sarcastic in Ino's opinion.
"People always compare me with her. Her looks, her academic, her personality, her eyes, her hair, she got everything that is better than me. And I have to lose to her."
Deidara straightened his posture, leaning against his back on the bench just like what Ino did. He stared at her quietly, indicating for her to continue.
"I just like to make fun of her. Guess I did go too far this time." She sighed, looking ahead. "I didn't want to apologize because I always thought she knew me inside out. I'm a gossip queen. I can't control my mouth. But that's the way I am." She grabbed onto her skirt and the wrinkled lines start to form. "I'm not angry or upset at her. I want to be like her. She's strong, beautiful and kind. I'm just jealous of her. She's just better than me in everything."
She gave a small pause before continuing when Deidara didn't interrupt. "I don't know how exactly Sasori feel about Sakura, but I'm sure his heart must have wavered when he heard what Sakura had said. If he doesn't, he'll taste my fist." She growled, not knowing that the words that slipped out was actually because she was protective of her best friend.
"Maybe-" Deidara said, looking away politely as Ino started to wipe the tears that were forming in her eyes. "-We can exchange some tips." He stroked his chin wisely.
"You can tell me how to get rid of the love-sickness yeah." Deidara grinned at his plan while Ino slowly turned towards him as he gave a stupid smirk that made her smiled a little.
"And I can, well… share with you some sort of techniques to deal with your friendship problems."
Author's Note:
DeiIno moments? Well I like them so those flames would end up cooking some Ramen for my empty stomach.
Same reasons, been busy. Nope, I kinda lied XD Been watching DeathNote and I seriously love L. Seriously this guy need more love. Currently pairing him with Misa because I'm just this weird with cracks. But I love Sasori more than anything else, and even more love for SasoSaku.