Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto/Shippuden. Only the storyline/plots.
SPECIAL CHAPTER: Affection
:::::
Sakura plopped in her bed out of excitement. Her eyes were glued to her new phone- at the wallpaper to be exact. She smiled at the picture that Sasuke took with her phone and she used it as her wallpaper.
'I'm gonna keep this for awhile…' the pinkette thought. She felt like a love struck teenager being confessed to by a handsome senior. 'And that senior is the captain of the football team, it seems…', she chuckled at her own perverse thoughts.
Then, like a film reel, Sakura's memories returned to earlier that day when Sasuke left himself on the phone's wallpaper.
/Flashback
"That means I have a chance?" asked the Uchiha with his infamous smirk plastered on his face. His voice was so clear that the question hit Sakura hard- she was frozen. Although Sakura's mind actually betrayed her right away that she deciphered the words as 'I love you, Sakura…'.
For seconds, they were there, looking- locking their gaze in silent. Sasuke frowned slightly when he received the piercing, unwavering stare from the pinkette- least that he knew, Sakura was off to the moon and back.
"Sakura?" he called out to the pinkette while at the same time came closer to her face. "Are you alright?".
After hitting the ground from falling hard in love, Sakura came back to earth. She gasped at their proximity, thus, quickly looked away and took a few steps back. "As if… you're just t-talking nonsense…" she muttered.
Realizing the flustered lady, Sasuke snorted loudly. He crossed his arms and stood his ground.
"What if I'm being serious?" said Sasuke, firmly.
Sakura gaped slightly as she peeked on him through the corner of her eyes. They stayed silent, until Sasuke's lips twirled into a smirk.
/End of Flashback
.
XOXOXOX
.
"Wait- what?!" yelped Sakura in disbelief. She almost spews her drink. "You want me to what—?!" she stubbornly asked, again, much to Sasuke annoyance.
"You heard me right, Sakura. I don't have to repeat that, do I?" stated the Uchiha, almost lazily.
Sakura shook her head. Even Sasuke's stare was not enough to bribe her inner Sakura that she was really ticked off.
"I know! But you— you're just being your usual annoying ridiculous self, Sasuke!" exclaimed Sakura.
"That's— that's too much adjectives in a sentence…" Sasuke simply commented. Not amusing at all to Sakura, however.
The pinkette exhaled loudly and calm her stature as she glared at her boss. "Being with you now is torturous enough- and now you want me to pretend to be your fiancée?" Sakura then stood up and Sasuke shot her a confused look. "—in your dream, Sasuke-kun…", then the pinkette left the cafeteria.
Too much for his pride, Sasuke let the pinkette go for this time. He groaned unsatisfactorily. He has to get Sakura to agree to that- or Karin will laugh at his face; rubbing his ego on the floor and stomping all over it.
/The wedding reception…
Sasuke looked at his watch and was waiting anxiously at the hotel entrance. He met a few of his university friends and they were all perfect- no, complete. All of them came with their partners; husbands, wives and even kids.
"Tch…" Sasuke then sighed. He bitterly remembered the invitation card that clearly mentioned of guests bringing their partners. Sasuke squinted at the thought. He can, if he did not want to bring anyone- but again, this is Karin's wedding reception. "She will definitely talk low of my lowest self—".
At that moment, Sasuke wished that he never dated Karin back in the college. But his worries vanished when his savior came running to him. Far from thanking her, he yelled at her.
"What took you so long?". Sasuke practically growled at the pink haired lady.
And she growled back, of course. "Shut it! I have to beg my dad to drive me here!".
"Hn…"
"At least you should thank me!" Sakura spat. "Besides, why does it have to be me? Don't you have any other girl friends?".
"I do. But they'll be so troublesome…" replied Sasuke as he felt cold shiver washed down his body, thinking of all his admirers. "…but you're an easy prey" he then said and smirked.
The pinkette's jaw dropped. She knew that her boss was a jerk; but she knew she was not like that at all- or does she?
"Excuse me?! I'm not that easy, okay?"
"But here you are now, Sakura…" stated Sasuke simply. Sakura's blood boiled.
"I- I- that's…" the pinkette was rendered speechless.
Sasuke flashed his smug smirk and turned his back on her. He started to walk away, when Sakura tugged on his arm. He stopped and turned to her again anyway, only to meet with Sakura's cynical smile.
"Or… you actually like me?" asked Sakura.
The Uchiha was stunned for mere seconds and he quickly turned away, avoiding any more questions. "Come. We're already late…" he started to walk away. Sakura chuckled as she followed the lead.
.
.
"Remember- we're a loving couple—"
"Disgusting—". Sakura cut him off.
Sasuke shot her a glare while still wrapping Sakura's arm with his. "Silent. You've agreed to this…". Sakura rolled her eyes. And the fake couple went to greet the bride and groom.
"Ahh- Sasuke…" stated Karin as she smiled sweetly and shot Sakura a glare too. "I don't think you came… but, who's this anyway?".
"It surprised me too. And this is Sakura, my fiancée…"
Karin nodded. "I see… Nice to meet you, Sakura. And as you two may already know- this is Suigetsu…". She introduced her husband.
Both the men bowed slightly to each other. "I've heard a lot about you, Sasuke…" said Suigetsu.
"I bet you have… Now, excuse us". Sasuke pulled Sakura with him and they went somewhere else.
Sakura peeked on her boss and she noticed that he was a bit tense. "Are you okay?"
"Hn. I'm fine… just that I hate this kind of function"
"Or is it because the lady just now is your ex, I suppose?"
Sasuke did not reply but he was tensed and it shows on his face. Sakura simply shrugged and try not to pry too much anyway.
.
.
And the party was at the ending where the guests were invited to the hotel garden. Karin was so happy that she decided to have the flower bouquet throwing event. Single ladies that attended were excited for the event except Sakura as she stood silently next to Sasuke.
"Go on. Join them…" whispered Sasuke as he leaned a little towards the pinkette.
"But- I don't actually have a boyfriend" she whispered back.
"I am your boyfriend. Now, go…"
Chill ran down Sakura's spine at the mentioned of the word 'boyfriend' and her pupils dilated, followed by her increasing heartbeat.
"F-Fine then… just to act till the last". Sakura then join the cheery crowd of ladies.
"1… 2… 3…!"
Then, without further ado, Karin threw the flower over her head towards the crowd behind her. A small chaos started to erupt and Sakura was one of the ladies that were squeezed in the middle.
"Not gonna marry anytime soon, though—" Sakura bitterly thought to herself.
Meanwhile, the guys were cheering on the women at the side. Sasuke shook his head and eyed the bouquet flew in the air- high up and getting bigger.
"Why? Why is it getting larger and larg—"
Then, Sasuke blinked. The crowd gradually getting calmer as they all put their attention on Sasuke. The bouquet was thrown too high and unexpectedly landed right in front of the indifferent Uchiha- that only stared at the bouquet with petals scattered everywhere on the ground.
"Good grief—" Sakura inwardly face-palmed.
As the crowd was getting high again as they cheered for Sasuke, and knowing the blank expression on his face; Sakura stepped away, slowly and silently, blending in. she knew that Sasuke was not amused at all by the turn of event.
"Pick it up!" "Guys can have flowers too!", yelled the crowd in excitement.
Moreover, Karin did not help at all too. "Oh- I guess it's a good omen then, Sasuke…"
"This could be embarrassing— and not good at all" thought the pinkette.
Just as Sakura predicted, Sasuke turned away and was about to leave when he stopped and peeked over his shoulder. "Sakura… lets go" he simply said, staring straight at Sakura that was hiding among the crowd.
"Damnit!" Sakura cussed inwardly as she let out an awkward chuckled. Now all eyes were on her.
.
.
"Is it that hard for you to catch- or pick up the bouquet?" asked Sakura, with her arms crossed.
All the while in the car, Sasuke did not say a word. Only his blank expression and the radio accompanied Sakura.
"I was talking to you—" said Sakura, as she turned the radio off. Her patience started to fleet away.
"Sakura… it was nothing. It's not like the flower was meant for the guys"
"What? Unbelievable… you should have made things easy and we don't have to just leave like this!"
"Aren't you glad?". Sasuke peeked on Sakura. "You wanna leave the place too, aren't you?.
"W-Well… yeah. But not as a clown!" she sarcastically replied. "Everyone was looking at us…".
And Sasuke stopped his car at the emergency lane, unexpectedly. Sakura was startled.
"What? Is there anything wrong?" asked the pinkette. She looked at Sasuke, questioning, while the latter replied her gaze with the same intensity or if not, more.
"Why- Why are we stopping?" muttered Sakura. Her eyes wandered all over the place.
Then, without Sakura's consent, Sasuke leaned in and caught their lips in a soft yet thrilling kiss. Leaning slightly backward, Sakura's cheeks were burning while her eyes widened. She pulled away.
"SASUKE-KUN!"
"That- wasn't our first kiss… But it felt like it"
For moment, Sakura was still lightheaded and tried to calm herself down. "I- I know that…" she simply replied.
"I… love you, Sakura…" Sasuke breathed out. Then he sighed as if it was a burden that he carried all along- that he finally let go. Yes, it is a heart burden.
Sakura gasped. "I—".
XOXOXOX
Then the weekend came again, although this time will be a whole lot different as it will be a double date. Sakura had butterflies in her stomach since morning and she was anxious, thinking of what her best friends will say about her boyfriend.
"No use to think too much—" she thought, biting her bottom lip.
"Sakura, over here! Over here!" Ino yelled out as she waved her hand in the air, calling for her best friend. The pinkette turned to their place and smile, while pacing towards them.
"Sorry, I'm late…" said Sakura breathlessly. And she was nervous.
::: END :::
A/N: So, this is the final (edited) Special Chapter for Marry to Money. With this, MTM ended completely.
Also, "Naruto Gaiden" had just finished, I felt happy and fulfill- yet lonely again. Thanks for reading, hv a nice day.
p/s: This chapter is somewhere before Chapter 15
Review. Favourite. Follow.